Coverings for architectural openings, such as windows, doors, archways, and the like, have taken numerous forms for many years. Some conventional coverings include a retractable shade portion that is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position, the shade portion of the covering may be positioned across the opening. In the retracted position, the shade portion of the covering may be positioned adjacent one or more sides of the opening.
To move the shade portion of the covering between the extended and retracted positions, some coverings include a roller rotatably associated with a fixed end rail of the covering. Rotation of the roller in a first direction retracts the shade portion of the covering to a position adjacent one or more sides of the opening, and rotation of the roller in a second, opposite direction extends the shade portion across the opening. The roller generally extends between two opposing end caps, and the shade portion of the covering may wrap around the roller or be gathered or stacked adjacent to the roller. For example, some retractable coverings include a flexible shade or shade material suspended from a roller. The shade material can either be wrapped about the roller to retract the shade material or unwrapped from the roller to extend the shade material. As another example, some retractable coverings, such as Venetian blinds, include a plurality of slats that are raised or lowered as lift cords are wrapped about or unwrapped from a rotatable roller. Regardless of the form of the retractable covering, rotation of the roller generally causes movement of the shade portion of the covering. To actuate movement of the roller, and thus the shade portion of the covering, an operating system may be operably coupled to the roller.